Focussing an ULF camera

[johnielvis]

Welly...depending on the camera--you find a way.

infinity type focusing--yes--you must focus using the camera standards and by moving them....if the lens is long--you go back and forth sometimes---you try to avoid that and it usually isn't necessary with rear controls for focus.

studio type focusing is usually done (by me) with a first zone type focus for magnification desired--pull out the bellows to the calculated length...then lock down and move the whole camera back and forth---when doing portraits, particularly 1:1's that's the ONLY way to focus...move the whole shebang.....it will make you strong like bull.

[Vaughn]

People who use ULF cameras on average have much longer arms than those who use smaller formats.

Even with my long arms, a 24 to 28" lens is still difficult to front focus while looking at the GG. The 19" lens, no problem!

But perhaps that is why the older field cameras had limited front movements: because no one could reach them!

Vaughn

[John Bowen]

People who use ULF cameras on average have much longer arms than those who use smaller formats.

Nothing beats 39 inch sleeves when it comes to focusing a ULF camera.

[bobherbst]

I like Dave Wooten's comment the best! Once you get beyond a 24" lens, depending on the length of your arms, it involves a well worn path between the back of the camera and the front of the camera for front tilts, shift, and rise/fall. It's that simple. In the canyon country of southern Utah, the lenses I used most often on my 12x20 were 24", 30", and 35" red dot artars. My arms aren't that long when under the dark cloth.

For those of you using an ULF, how do you manage to focus something so large if you can't reach in front of the camera whilst peering through the ground glass at the same time? (Im talking about 20x24 etc.)

[Michael Kadillak]

I like Dave Wooten's comment the best! Once you get beyond a 24" lens, depending on the length of your arms, it involves a well worn path between the back of the camera and the front of the camera for front tilts, shift, and rise/fall. It's that simple. In the canyon country of southern Utah, the lenses I used most often on my 12x20 were 24", 30", and 35" red dot artars. My arms aren't that long when under the dark cloth.

That is where the attractive female assistant come in handy. She can stop the lens down for you while you are watching the ground glass as well as make any necessary front camera adjustments. Brett Weston was a pioneer in establishing this field protocol. If I could only get my wife to understand that it would make me much more efficient in the field.....

[Len Middleton]

studio type focusing is usually done (by me) with a first zone type focus for magnification desired--pull out the bellows to the calculated length...then lock down and move the whole camera back and forth---when doing portraits, particularly 1:1's that's the ONLY way to focus...move the whole shebang.....it will make you strong like bull.

Given that many smaller cameras including my 45 Technika V have bed scales, has anyone gone to the trouble of building and using a reference table for bellows extension for their lenses at typically used distances. Then would just need to fine focus the image.

Might also reduce the potential of ULF photographers walking over the edge while moving their cameras...

Besides having just purchased an 8x20 project, at 5'4" I will have to mount it on top of the car if I want to move it that far.

[Michael Kadillak]

Given that many smaller cameras including my 45 Technika V have bed scales, has anyone gone to the trouble of building and using a reference table for bellows extension for their lenses at typically used distances. Then would just need to fine focus the image.

Might also reduce the potential of ULF photographers walking over the edge while moving their cameras...

Besides having just purchased an 8x20 project, at 5'4" I will have to mount it on top of the car if I want to move it that far.

You will find that any time with a ULF camera one quickly learns the rough focus of a particular lens. I find it a rather interesting game to reach for a 24", 30" or 35" lens and then see how close I got the camera to these proportions before I viewed the ground glass. Most of the time I get pretty close.

[johnielvis]

OH---I forgot to ADD that I use a studio stand with casters!!!! and I got sliders on the tripods I use--for CLOSE distrances....you'll find that you move the camera a shorter distance than the back of the camera....so, by all means do NOT try to move it unless you have wheels. Yeah--that's an important detail---also--I have a large table top if that works out and slide the camera on that--but, like I said--this is for the 1:1 type distances

[SAShruby]

That is where the attractive female assistant come in handy. She can stop the lens down for you while you are watching the ground glass as well as make any necessary front camera adjustments.

Such a waste of time while having attractive female assistant...